Packet of rice given to guests
at the wedding of Luci Baines Johnson, 1966

James Monroe's daughter Maria was the fist child of a president
to marry in the White House, in 1820. Her ceremony was restricted
to family. Subsequent weddings have become increasingly popular
events, and the public wants to know many of the details.

More recent White House brides have resorted to elaborate schemes to avoid intrusion. In 1966, Luci Johnson managed to keep her dress design secret until her wedding day. Respecting the privacy of the wedding party must be balanced with taking advantage of the tremendous political goodwill generated from these rare White House occurrences.

Wedding
announcement for Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsom
Grover Cleveland
married Frances Folsom in a private White House ceremony in 1886.
Cleveland was the only president whose wedding took place in the White
House, and at 21, Frances became the youngest First Lady. A beautiful
and charming woman, the new First Lady was extremely popular. The
public took great delight in the birth of two of the five Cleveland
children during Grover Cleveland's second presidency.

Satin-covered
cake boxes trimmed with lace and cards signed by the bride and
groom were gifts given to the guests at the 1886 wedding of Grover
Cleveland and Frances Folsom. This box was given to the Reverend Byron
Sunderland, the minister who officiated at the ceremony.

Folsom wedding portrait
There were no pictures released to the public of Frances Folsom Cleveland from her 1886 wedding to President Grover Cleveland. This is the image she provided for family.